It’s a good thing that the break between seasons is nearly four months because it might take viewers that long to process what happened in tonight’s season finale.

The old Elena was a cheerleading, belly baring, not quite in love with Matt teenager with a pothead brother, sneaky Aunt Jenna, and loving parents. The upside to those flashbacks that lead up to Elena watching her parents drown after their car went overWickeryBridgewas seeing Elena smile. She was lighthearted and happy, a stark change from the depressed, sullen, angst-ridden teenager we’ve been dealing with for three seasons. After everything she’s been through, who can blame her?

And after tonight, it’s safe to say Elena won’t be smiling for a while. This finale was fantastically intense, held nothing back, and drove full speed ahead for the full hour, holding its own against the phenomenal finales from seasons one and two. So without further adieu, here are my top five OMFG moments from the season three finale.

5. Elena makes her choice.

By reflecting on the past Elena realized what she did to Matt when they were dating and how she held on to him out of fear of losing him, which caused her to realize she had to choose between Damon and Stefan. Unfortunately for Matt, he was her sounding board and had to listen to her wrestle with her feelings for the Salvatore brothers. She explained how Stefan saved her the night her parents died and being with him helped her figure out how to live again. On the other hand, when she’s with Damon, she’s consumed by him and choosing means losing one when she’s already lost so many people.

Determined to save Elena’s life, Jeremy and Matt conspired to get Elena out of town. Matt drugged her with tea and when she woke up, she was in his truck, and learned what had happened to Klaus and that Damon and Stefan might die. When it came down to heading back to MysticFallsto be with Stefan or out of town to be with Damon, she chose Stefan and let Damon down over the phone. She explained to him that she chose Stefan because of everything he used to be for her and that while she felt for Damon she never un-felt for Stefan either. She also added that things may have been different had they met first… but more on that later.

4. Everything Caroline and Tyler.

With their true identities revealed, the Mayor and Sheriff tell their children they have to leave MysticFallsor else they will die. Caroline was hesitant because their friends needed them, but Tylerhelped her see that if they stayed they would die and they needed to live for their mothers. Not to mention that he wanted to protect her – swoon. They decided to leave town and promised to meet two hours later.

Only by then all hell had broken loose.

Caroline had learned that Klaus was dead, thus Tyler’s original bloodline was severed and he was also dead. She sobbed as Tyler told her it would be okay and she would get to live and everything would be fine, and we sobbed right along with her. Say what you want about Candice Accola, but she is a heartbreaking crier and gets better with every emotional scene she’s given. WhenTylerthought he was dying, it was his first werewolf changing scene all over again, and he begged Caroline to leave. Through tears she refused, finally giving in and running out at the last second. Just writing this makes me want to start crying all over again. Ugh. My poor Forwood, paranormal Romeo and Juliet loving heart.

3. Elena actually met Damon first – not Stefan.

While everyone was inMysticFalls, Damon was getting the hell beaten out of him by Crazy Vampire Hunter Ric, during which he flashed back to the first time he met Elena. Just like that writers rewrote history, revealing that Elena met Damon just before her parents picked her up and crashed off of Wickery Bridge on the way home.

Damon mistook her for Katherine and the two had an awkward, yet revealing conversation about her relationship with Matt. Damon told her she wanted what everyone wants – a love that consumes her and passion and adventure and even a little danger. And then Damon compelled her to forget their entire exchange because he didn’t want people to know she was in town yet. Total freaking fanwank in the most amazing that it’s a little annoying way.

2. Bonnie is about to become the HBIC in Mystic Falls.

Elena struck a deal with Elijah to return Klaus’ body in exchange for the originals to leave town and get Vampire Hunter Ric to follow them. This is where Bonnie stepped in. She’s either reached her breaking point or the witches are sending her in an empowered direction. When it came down to it, Bonnie couldn’t hurt Klaus because if he died, she lost so many people she cared about, primarily her mother. Viewers have no idea what went down with her when she was locked alone with Klaus in the storage facility, but Klaus was staked by Alaric and his body caught on fire. Except we later learned that Klaus was actually put into Tyler’s body. Whoa. So does this mean thatTyleris trapped in his body permanently? If Klaus’ leaves his body does Tyler die? And what will everyone say about Bonnie using her friend’s body to keep Klaus alive, especially Caroline?

1. Elena died.

Rebekah and Elijah were so distraught when they thought Klaus was dead that they decided to kill Elena to get rid of Vampire Hunter Ric. So when Matt and Elena were heading back to Mystic Falls because they thought Stefan was going to die, Rebekah was waiting for them on Wickery Bridge, Matt swerved and his truck went over the edge.

Splash.

Flashbacks mixed with the present, showing Elena in the car with her parents and then in the truck with Matt. Stefan appeared to save her and she argued with him about saving Matt – really, how long can these people hold their breaths anyway? – and eventually he took Matt and Elena drowned.

Meanwhile, Damon was still fighting with Ric who slowly became weaker and he realized that meant Elena was dying. Ric’s ghost raced off to say goodbye to Jeremy while Damon headed to the hospital.

Last week’s episode ended with Elena on the floor and Jeremy had taken her to get checked out and Meredith assured him she was fine. It wasn’t until the end of the finale that Meredith admitted Elena wasn’t doing well and she gave her vampire blood. And then Elena woke up with a deep gasping breath, unaware that she’s now a vampire. BOOM.

And just like that everything about this season is reset for the fall. How will Elena react to being a vampire? Is Matt alive? Will GhostRic stay around for a while? Will Elena suddenly remember Damon’s compulsions now that she’s a vampire? How long before everyone realizes thatTyleris Klaus? Will this cause Caroline to give into his advances? Will Elena’s choice of Stefan stay strong or will she go for Damon? And will Katherine breeze back into town and meet her vampire doppelganger counter part? See you next fall, TVD fans. Leave your thoughts on the finale below.

About the author

Amber Cunigan

Amber Cunigan is a sarcastic mid-twenties undergrad, extreme book hoarder, Netflix addict, and reality TV aficionado. She enjoys excessive amounts of chocolate and caffeine, tweeting, and all things Ezra Fitz and Ryan Gosling. When it comes to TV, she expects to be thoroughly entertained and when not, she will slam and mock you, but still tune in next week. She's a glutton for punishment. Basically, she's awesome.